Share for friends:

Read A Virtuous Woman (1997)

A Virtuous Woman (1997)

Online Book

Author
Genre
Rating
3.65 of 5 Votes: 3
Your rating
ISBN
0375703063 (ISBN13: 9780375703065)
Language
English
Publisher
vintage

A Virtuous Woman (1997) - Plot & Excerpts

My interest in this story was initially poked during one of my husband’s daily devotion. That day’s lesson was entitled Greatness written by Brian K. Bauknight and the Bible reference was from Proverbs 31:10-31. That day was my birthday.A virtuous woman, Ruby was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. Instead of worrying on her dying state, she busied herself preparing food for her husband for the months ahead… when she’s already gone. She was more worried about how Jack will get by without her. Being orphaned at an early age, it was difficult for Jack to let go of Ruby. She was the only tangible evidence of life for him… the only one who truly cared. He was a farmer without a land, a man without a child, and a husband without a wife.On the surface, this was a marriage of circumstance and convenience between two brutally honest people, Ruby and Jack. Beneath, theirs was an unconventional love story with unquestionable depth. A relationship that only two people who truly cares for each other may understand. Each was cherished quietly but unconditionally.This story was alternately narrated between the two main characters, which gave it more emotion and made it very personal.

After reading Ellen Foster, I thought I simply had to read more by this author. I made a special trip to the library to obtain another.I was disappointed. While I realize it is difficult to follow one superb book with another, this one fell flat, was choppy, was boring and I'm very glad I read Ellen Foster first or I would not have continued to read more.Ruby Trip is privileged by southern, small-town farm standards. She has loving parents who dote on her and who can afford food on the table and a roof over their head.Ruby was pampered to the detrimental extent that when unsupervised she makes very poor choices, including running away to marry a near-do-well migrant worker.Jack Stokes is a tenant farmer, poor in worldly goods, rich in a loving spirit and gentleness toward ruby. Rescuing Ruby from poverty when her abusive husband dies, Jack shows Ruby respect, patience and a life of kind understanding.This is the story of Ruby and Jack as they grow to love each other.A story is one of a loving untraditional relationship, with one chapter told by Ruby and another by Jack.

What do You think about A Virtuous Woman (1997)?

This is a meaningful story about the basics of life: love, choices, struggle, understanding. It is an austere story of common people making the same common mistakes that are found throughout humanity. A young girl makes immature choices in life and marriage and quickly regrets these. She finds redemption through an unlikely partner. This is a very giving story. It has a generous feel that seems set forth purposefully by the author from the outset. We see and understand the couple of Jack and Ruby so clearly and their lives really make sense to us. Then Ruby's voice fades as she falls to illness and she only then lives within Jack. Such a beautiful, connecting novel.
—SarahC

3.5 starts. I enjoyed this sweet love story that shows how our choices affect our lives and the lives of those around us. I wondered about Roland- if he would have been a better person if he'd not been treated as the bastard son. Was Burr as good to him as he was to June? Did his treatment because he wasn't Burr's son make him who he became? I felt his character was a bit of a stereotype. I struggled at times with the writing of the story. Because it carried the accent of the narrator, it was confusing to follow at times because Jack didn't always use standard English. I felt the ending was bit abrupt. I wanted more and wasn't ready for the story to end. I loved how Ruby and Jack loved and cared for each other and this story makes me want to be a better wife.
—Catherine

Gosh, for such a small book, it took me forever to read it. While I enjoyed Gibbon's writing style, she really does a good job making her characters lifelike, it just never took off for me. It was very slow paced. Nothing exciting happened that made me anxious to pick it back up after I put it down. Lesser characters Tiny Fran and Roland were painted as stereo-typical small-minded and selfish archetypes, creating the brunt of the conflicts in the story. The main characters, Jack and Ruby initially came off as a cute mismatched pair, (She the young beauty. He the skinny older man) and I enjoyed reading about them, but if the author was inferring that Ruby was a virtuous woman, I'm not sure I'd agree. Virtuous means righteous, good, pure, upstanding. Half way through the story, Ruby and Jack, along with their neighbor, Burr, seem to take too much enjoyment out of tormenting the antagonists. Jack and Ruby's ridicule and often harsh reactions to the antagonists' infractions made them nearly as unlikeable as the people they condemned. It's not often I come out of a book not sure of the point of the story.
—Suzanne

Write Review

(Review will shown on site after approval)

Read books by author Kaye Gibbons

Read books in category Fiction